Police ID man killed outside his Chesterfield home

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. -- Police have identified a Chesterfield man found dead outside his Reams Court home. A family member found Joshua A. Gerdts, 31, on the front porch early Thursday morning.

"At about 6:15 a.m. on May 3, police were called to a reported assault with a deadly weapon at a residence in the 200 block of Reams Court," a Chesterfield Police spokesperson said. "Gerdts, who had obvious signs of trauma to his body, was unresponsive when police arrived and attempts by police and rescue personnel to revive him were unsuccessful. He was pronounced dead at the scene."

Police said it was unclear how long Gerdts was outside on the porch before he was discovered. Chesterfield Police have classified the situation as a suspicious death investigation and are investigating it as a homicide.

"At this time, this incident does not appear to be random," the police spokesperson said.

Officers asked the community for help to determine the victim's whereabouts prior to his death.

Hours after the investigation started, family members arrived to the home to grieve.

"All I can do is just pray for the family and hope things get better," Mike Jones, who was working nearby, said.

"Beloved father to a beautiful little girl. Beloved brother to Hannah and Aaron Gerdts," the post reads. Survived by his parents Warren Gerdts and Stephanie King, his aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, nieces and nephews."